The present invention relates to telecommunication networks, and, more particularly, to inventory management for telecommunication networks.
Inventory management for telecommunications networks generally tracks components, such as circuit cards, provided at different field locations to support different user services. Over time, the inventory database systems related to such assets may become inaccurate representations of the infrastructure as circuit cards and the like are changed over time to respond to different user requirements, discontinued services and the like. Such a data mismatch with the actual network configuration may lead to problems in customer service, outages, lost revenues from unbilled circuits, loss of use of capital assets and stress on employees from relying on data that does not match actual network field conditions. Effort by field technicians may be required to call attention to the mismatches as discovered in the field.
Many of today's intelligent network elements (INEs) have the ability to report their configuration to an external management system either on request or autonomously as changes occur.
TIRKS™ (Trunk Integrated Record Keeping System) is a Telcordia integrated, computerized network inventory and assignment system that supports the provisioning process for special service circuits, message trunks, and carrier circuits, and also provides inventory management of facilities and equipment. The TIRKS system supports the full range of transmission technologies, such as SONET, including self-healing rings and other sophisticated SONET configurations, European digital hierarchy standards (SDH), digital circuitry hierarchy (DS0, DS1, DS3), and analog voice circuits.
The TIRKS system allows users to automatically log, route, and monitor the progress of work orders (WO), perform end-to-end circuit design based on generic specifications and automated scripts, execute interactive, user-defined queries and generate customized reports of work center activity, critical dates, and jeopardy conditions, and interface seamlessly with other Telcordia operations support systems. However, discrepancies may occur from data entry errors, equipment not installed as planned, discrepancies between the actual plug-ins shipped from those expected, substitutions or errors by field personnel, or an element management system (EMS) being unable to make an assignment.
NORTEL'S integrated network management/manager (INM) broadband product is an open, multi-technology and multi-vendor distributed element management system. Nortel's Integrated Network Management (INM) Broadband EMS employs the philosophy of “the network is the database”, and can make use of current technology to obtain an accurate, up-to-date view of the configurations of all the network elements that the INM controls. INM may consolidate and adapt information from the network under management control to open, standards-based interfaces. Communications with the managed network elements may be provided using TL1 (transaction language-1), SNMP (simple network management protocol), CMIP (common information management protocol) or proprietary protocols.
Synchronous Optical Network Capacity Activation Program (SONETCAP) is a BellSouth network communication product that may be connected to a telecommunications network. SONETCAP may be connected to and upload data from intelligent network equipment using TL1 commands to extract information related to circuit card configuration for a particular device, cross connections, any port in service and the like.
The TIRKS system databases do not always accurately reflect how the equipment is actually configured in the network. Inaccurate data can cause fallout in the provisioning process, stranding of equipment, and unnecessary dispatches resulting in increased costs, missed due dates, and customer dissatisfaction. Field conditions that may create database discrepancies include: assignment made by the provisioning system is actually in use and therefore not available, incorrect assignment based on incorrect view of the actual field conditions, missing equipment plug-ins in the field; and the EMS being unable to make assignment.
Current TIRKS users generally must contend with on-going TIRKS database discrepancies between the facilities assignments associated with service or repair orders and the actual field conditions encountered. One known solution to update TIRKS databases is a manual solution. Subsequent to completing the service or repair order, work center personnel use the actual field information discovered using the INM broadband user interface (UI) to manually update the TIRKS database. This technique has been fairly successful, although disadvantages include the sheer amount of data (hence human effort) involved and its reactive versus proactive nature. This activity can sometimes lead to multiple database corrections because of numerous inaccuracies. In addition, for the most part, this update effort is triggered by service or repair activity and is not part of a programmed work effort.
Another proposed approach to alignment of TIRKS uses INM. A synchronizer receives data from the Network Manager and the TIRKS inventory data to determine data discrepancies. A discrepancy may be corrected automatically or manually.